Chairman Levin, Ranking
Member Inhofe, and Distinguished Members of the Committee:

Thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today.

I am honored and humbled
that the President has nominated me for duties as Commander of the
United States Cyber Command and
designated me as the next Director of the National Security Agency.

I also thank Secretary
of Defense Hagel, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General
Dempsey, for their confidence in my ability to assume these
significant duties.

I'm joined today by my
wife, Dana. Thirty years ago one evening -- in fact, here in
Washington, D.C. -- she took a chance on a then-young
Lieutenant Junior Grade Rogers --
which just goes to show that truly great things can happen to a
sailor on liberty. And I want to very publicly thank her for her
love and support, both for the past nearly 29 years of marriage, and
for her service to the nation, and perhaps most importantly, her
willingness to take on an even greater set of challenges if I am
confirmed.

I've always believed
that the life we live in uniform is even more difficult on our
spouses and our families than it is on us, and I am blessed to have
a great partner in Dana.

Now with us today are
our two sons: Justin, a naval officer currently on sea duty which,
on a day like today, boy it sure sounds like a great place to be;
and Patrick, a very hard working college student.

I'm also honored to be
here today alongside General Paul Silver [ph] who, as he has
indicated, we've had the pleasure of working together before; and I
can attest to his significant abilities at first hand.

If confirmed, I look
forward to working closely with the members of this committee in
addressing the significant cyber challenges facing our nation today
and into the future.

We face a growing array
of cyber threats from foreign intelligence services, terrorists, criminal groups, and hacktivists, who are increasing their capability
to
steal, manipulate, or destroy information and networks in a manner that risks compromising our personal and national security.
They do so via a manmade environment that is constantly evolving
and through the use of techniques and capabilities that are
continually changing.

This is hard work and it requires change, something seldom easy
either for individuals or for organizations. If confirmed as the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, my priority will be to generate the
capabilities and capacities needed to operate in this dynamic
environment and to provide senior decision makers and my fellow operational commanders with a full range of options within the cyber
arena. I will partner aggressively with others in doing so,
particularly with our allies and partners, those in the private and academic sectors, within the Department of Defense, and agencies and
organizations across the U.S. Government as well as the
Congress.

I am also mindful that
Cyber Command and NSA are two different
organizations, each having its own identity, authorities, and oversight mechanisms, while executing often related and linked
mission sets. Each has the potential to make the other stronger
in executing those missions and I will work to ensure each is appropriately focused. When there is differing opinion between them,
I
will make the call as the commander, always mindful that the mission of each is to deliver better mission outcomes.

I will also be
ever-mindful that we must do all of this in a manner which protects the civil liberties and privacy of our
citizens. I
will ensure strict adherence to policy, law, and the oversight
mechanisms in place. I will be an active partner in implementing the
changes directed by the President with respect to aspects of the
National Security Agency mission, and my intent is to be as
transparent as possible in doing so, and in the broader execution of
my
duties if confirmed.

To the men and women of the National Security Agency and the
United States Cyber Command, I thank you for your commitment to the
security of our Nation and for your professionalism. I believe in
you
and in the missions you execute in defending the security of the
Nation and its citizens. I am honored to even be considered for
duty as your leader and if confirmed I look forward to joining
the
team.
I also want to thank
General Keith Alexander for his almost 40
years of commissioned service to this Nation. He has laid a solid
foundation at Cyber Command and NSA for those who come behind
him. He has made a huge contribution in this mission set and I
thank him and Debby for all that they have given the Nation.

Finally, let me conclude by thanking those men and women, far
too numerous to name individually, who have given me the love
and support in my life to live the dream I have had since I was
literally a young boy of being a serving naval officer. From those
who shaped me in my youth to those who have led, mentored, guided, taught, or in some instances flat-out just kicked me in the tail
in my time in uniform when I needed it most, I thank them. I fully
realize that I am in no small part here today because of the efforts
of so many others in my life.

Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before
you and I look forward to answering your questions.